Arcona Yachts produces elegant performance cruisers using tried-and-tested build methods and styling. These are sailors’ yachts, richly rewarding to helm, with a quality fit-out. The yard has a niche recipe that consistently strikes a chord – even during the recent downturn that hit Swedish yards particularly hard, Arcona remained popular, especially in the UK.

So news that it is building its new flagship entirely in carbon for the first time is somewhat surprising. Is the yard abandoning its traditional roots?

“The 465 will be a true Arcona: elegant, fast and easily sailed short-handed,” says UK agent Tony Bottomley. “This boat is all about fast, safe passagemaking. Passagemaking in style!”

Bottomley adds that her light displacement of ten tonnes ensures that, even with all the equipment and systems needed for modern bluewater cruising, “she will remain a light and responsive sailing yacht”.

The Arcona 465 should certainly look a pretty picture afloat. Her looks successfully marry the sleek cruiser-racer styles of old – the timeless Swan grace, if you will – with a more modern hull shape, including a near-plumb stem and beam pushed right aft.

Designer Stefan Quiberg predicts that, as well as enhancing interior space, this width aft will create downwind stability.

Down below she is trademark Arcona, with varnished mahogany throughout, albeit a veneer covering carbon bulkheads. And below the soleboards lurks a steel cradle, used to stiffen all Arconas by taking rig and keel loads.

Price ex VAT £345,000. www.arconayachts.com

Dimensions

LOA 14.09m/46ft 3in

LWL 13.25m/43ft 6in

Beam 4.24m/13ft 11in

Draught 2.45m 8ft 0in

Displacement 10,000kg/22,046lb